Seat adjusting device and method of providing seat adjustment

Abstract

A seat adjusting device comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers and a valve module. The plurality of inflatable chambers includes a first inflatable chamber and a second inflatable chamber. The valve module comprises a control valve which is a 4/4-way valve having four ports and four positions. A first port of the control valve is in communication with the first inflatable chamber and a second port of the control valve is in communication with the second inflatable chamber.

1 . A seat adjusting device comprising:
 a plurality of inflatable chambers including a first inflatable chamber and a second inflatable chamber; and   a valve module in communication with the plurality of inflatable chambers, the valve module comprising a control valve, wherein the control valve is a 4/4-way valve having four ports and four positions, and wherein a first port of the control valve is in communication with the first inflatable chamber and a second port of the control valve is in communication with the second inflatable chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 1 , wherein the control valve includes an internal channel and a first solenoid, the control valve configured such that the internal channel is in communication with the first port when the first solenoid is deenergized and the internal channel is in communication with the second port when the first solenoid is energized. 
     
     
         3 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 2 , wherein the control valve includes a second solenoid, the control valve being configured such that the internal channel is in communication with a third port of the control valve when the second solenoid is deenergized and the internal channel is in communication with a fourth port of the control valve when the second solenoid is energized. 
     
     
         4 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 3 , wherein the third port is in communication with a fluid supply channel and the fourth port is in communication with a fluid discharge channel. 
     
     
         5 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid supply channel and the fluid discharge channel are delimited by walls of a housing of the valve module. 
     
     
         6 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 4 , further comprising a pressure fluid source coupled to the fluid supply channel. 
     
     
         7 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 6 , wherein the valve module comprises a fluid supply control valve coupled to the fluid supply channel. 
     
     
         8 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 3 , wherein the control valve comprises a valve body around which both the first solenoid and the second solenoid are wound. 
     
     
         9 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 2 , wherein the valve module includes a housing having plural walls, and wherein the first port of the control valve is in communication with a first connector and the second port of the control valve is in communication with a second connector, and further wherein the first connector and the second connector are provided on the same wall of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber is a chamber of a lumbar support device, and wherein the other one of the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber is a chamber of a side support device. 
     
     
         11 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 1 , wherein the valve module comprises at least one further 4/4-way control valve. 
     
     
         12 . The seat adjusting device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one further 4/4-way control valve has a first port in communication with another chamber of a lumbar support device and a second port in communication with another chamber of a side support device. 
     
     
         13 . A seat comprising:
 a seat adjusting device including
 at least one inflatable chamber, and 
 a valve module in communication with the at least one inflatable chamber, the valve module comprising a control valve, wherein the control valve is a 4/4-way valve having four ports and four positions. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method of providing seat adjustment by controlling a control valve to selectively supply fluid to a plurality of inflatable chambers or to selectively discharge fluid from the plurality of inflatable chambers, the method comprising:
 controlling the control valve, which is a 4/4-way valve having four ports and four positions, wherein a first port of the control valve is in communication with the first inflatable chamber and a second port of the control valve is in communication with the second inflatable chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the control valve has a first solenoid and a second solenoid, and wherein controlling the control valve includes selectively energizing and deenergizing the first solenoid and/or the second solenoid to set the control valve to a desired one of the four positions.